League of Legends AU - The Queen of Spades (Katarina x Garen)
by ShiNaa-chan
Summary: (-Writing challenge with friends-) Another Universe settings : a high school from where rules and discipline went off. Two gangs are fighting to control this swarm, dragging the other students in their violent war. /Rated mature because of strong language, sex scenes and sensitive matters. Btw this is my first time writing in english. Cover illustration coming soon
1. Ames en perdition

**To read before reading/reviewing: **since I'm the author of a LOL comic that works and pleases to people for 4months now, I call tell I DO know something of LOL background... So before leaving any silly comment, check my gallery or even your own sources. I feared it would happen and it did so I feel like this pre note is neccessary. Btw it's AU so I do whatever I want with the high school settings. In Europe, where I live, the scholar system is different. My first grade =6e (=12 yo) and so 7th grade= terminale (=19yo).

**Chapter 1 – Âmes en perdition**

(song: "Here" –Vast)

A lazy and sunny summer afternoon. Casual people went to the beach while others laid on the green. But there was a school that kept its students as prisoners during the summer time… for the own good of the rest of the world. Indeed, the teenagers hold in there were monster prototypes. Not the ones you can see in sci-fic movies… but real beasts with no law or pride. When parents gave up, they got rid of their offspring in this hellish place. Some of them just threw their children here for the "tough way of living" and some others just couldn't promise a better future to them. But inside these walls, a real war was flaring.

Sat on a tree, Katarina, a 6th grade student, sentenced four times to hard labor for serious injuries to other classmates, was staring at the students wandering in the schoolyard, looking for a good opportunity to break boredom. It didn't take long. A new freak who landed up here by mistake (his parents thought it was some summer-class institute) was going out of the reading club and just bumped into the wrong person. The young one apologized and then tried to pick up his books lying on the tar. But a strong grip grabbed his collar and lifted him up in the air.

"I think you just bumped into me?"

"Yes" boldly answered Ezreal. "And I've already apologized…"

The 7th grade student Draven raised an eyebrow and then turned towards his crew.

"Hey guys… He apologized so everything is okay right?"

The other rogues laughed loudly. The blond victim couldn't help but smiled as well.

"So… Could you take me back to the ground or…?"

Draven's face suddenly turned serious again.

"You think what ? You think it's a fucking childplay garden here ? You think you can keep your blondie ass undamaged after knocking your fucking books over my feet? You really think that ?"

Ezreal's face shaded.

"I… didn't intend to…"

"Well well, you wouldn't have acted so cocky, I would have forgiven you, but…"

Draven took a flick knife out of his jacket's side pocket.

"… it seems that you have to get a lesson about how life goes here first"

He and his muscular friends grabbed Ezreal's limbs and carried him far from the courtyard's sight. Katarina watched the whole scene but didn't make a move. It didn't worth the effort, so she stayed on her branch and closed her eyes for a nap time.

The director, Jericho Swain, forgot about discipline long since. This swarm was a hopeless place where teenagers could hope learning one or two tricks about how to survive in the wild streets, but nothing over mathematics or history. Some tried either way; but the teachers themselves were hard to find. The boldest ones instilled respect in their steaming heads showing teeth and fists but, most of the time, the eldest students managed the youngest in order to make them pass their final tests and escape from this place.

Because it was all that mattered here: survive! And the best way to do so was to choose a camp. There were two districts inside the city: the noxian and the demacian ones. Most of the students were divided like this and the others…had to make a choice or quietly stayed mute in a corner.

The demacian side was the one most of people would have instinctively chosen. Not because of its strict rules or its intolerant preaches over racial issues, but because it was still better than the noxian side. Most of them had serious issues with public justice. Some of them killed a lot of people in their life; men, women, children, old people… They were the hatred itself and their only law was "the strong always wins the game".

Draven was part of this despicable group. His knife costs a lot to the young Ezreal on this day. But the man knew he wouldn't be punished for this: the security didn't almost exist in this school. What for ? Without serious witness, Ez just had to crawl until the infirmary and pray to not get raped by the awkward nurse known as Miss Leblanc.

"You don't have to be afraid" the nurse said with her syrupy voice.

"Ouch!"

Ezreal was laid on the front. His butt was covered of fresh scars still red and bloody. A blond girl irrupted in the room.

"Are you alright Ez?"

"You're his girlfriend?" asked Miss Leblanc, leaned over the poor boy's body.

"N-n-n-not really!"

Luxanna blushed and slid by Ezreal's side. His butt was not the part she preferred in the boy but she had to face it to check how the boy was going.

"Does it hurt?"

"Guess what…, yeah."

Lux frowned.

"Hey, you were the one trying to deal with these noxians freaks"

"C'mon… I just bumped into one of them"

"Into Draven. Draaaven! Be thankful you're still alive!"

The fact she repeated his name made the nurse smiling. She hosted so many wounded butts in this infirmary. The place was just like her: dirty and scary. The injections on the tool box were filled up of green "miracle potion", a sedative the Dr Mundo, the head doctor of the school, suggested as the last solution to calm down these "young bastards". High doses could easily kill, this was why a lot of students passed out yet. Miss Leblanc always made through it, using her… special assignment to avoid trouble. A bunch of male students already knew about her "special treatments" but noone of them was really proud about it: you were Miss Leblanc's victim, never the opposite !

Lux pulled the boy out of Miss Leblanc's claws and helped him walking. He was stumbling because of the pain. But the day wasn't off, so Lux led him inside the class. The boy stared at his seat making a face and then just leaned against the wall.

"These guys are a pain… and I still have 2 years left here! I'll never survive. How do you make it Lux? No offense but you really look… fragile and vulnerable"

Lux smiled.

"Well, I'm lucky to have my big brother around. The N-gang knows that if they touch me, they'll have to fight the demacian district since my bro is heading it with his friend Jarvan and Xin."

"The demacian trio, heh? Yeah I've seen them many times. You're sure in good hands"

The door opened. A 7th grade student, Fiora Laurent, appeared and ordered everyone to sit down. She was in charge of the youngest class for today. She suddenly stopped looking inside her suitcase and looked up to Ezreal.

"What don't you get in the sentence 'would you please sit down'?"

The skirt-logo on the toilet's door usually warns male representatives that only girls are allowed inside the place. But a bold guy like Jayce ignored its meaning and entered either way. We walked up to the girl combing her long hair in front of the mirror and asked:

"Would you go out with me?"

Cassiopeia was way younger than him but was popular in all the school. Most of students were agree to say she WAS the prettiest girl in the school, followed by her elder sister.

The 3th grade girl put her lipstick from her cleavage and softly applied it on her lips, leaning over the washbasin in order to tease the guy's imagination.

"You're not from the noxian district, am I right?"

"Nope, ma'am. I'm from the Piltover district"

Cassie faced him off and lasciviously rest her beautiful curves on the washbasin.

"I'd gladly suck your dick if you paid your subscription at least… but I know this is not what Pilt' guys usually do"

"I…I don't want this !" Jayce stammered. "Just a romantic dinner or a walk on the beach and…"

"Ah! You think you're in some movie ? You're looking for true love? You're what…? Like in last grade? Wait a few months more and then get lost. Find yourself a girl in the outside world, but not here. It's not that it's not allowed. It just doesn't exist!"

Her sharp words were carried by a smirk. She left the place in a seductive gait and joined her friends, total bitches like she was herself.

Cassiopeia and her sister, Katarina, had a rich blood. They were here because they asked for it. No man could match their intimidation abilities, Kat with her brutal strength and Cass with her hypnotic look. In fact, both of them were feared, as among demacians and noxians. But they didn't get along very well. One of Cassiopeia's favourite games was to spread rumours over her sister, like shameful odd secrets. But Katarina didn't give a damn and kept on smashing faces and avoiding class, sitting on the rooftops or sleeping in the locker-room.

Cass loved challenges. Her new fancy was demacian boys. She chose them weak and new, destroyed their mind and hopes and led them to beg for her love –what she never gave of course. Then, they got crushed by a noxian hand and ended up all bones broken… for the best.

On this day, she was particularly bored. This meeting with the 7th grade made her realize how far her influence could carry men's greed. She knew her powers and wanted to try on the highest levels. Her target was sitting in the middle of the dining hall with his usual teammates: all three were friendly called the "demacian trio".

Jarvan was the president of the student body, his class's delegate and the leader of the demacian crew inside the school. His father was nobody but the major of the city itself, what granted his son some kind of tranquillity. The young man used this privileges in order to reach the top but defeated his opponents with his own weapons: brain and fist. The second man laughing next to him was called Xin Zhao. His origins were not enough to permit any joke… because his muscular strength was speaking for it. About the last? The width of his torso was enough to say he had nothing to envy to his loyal mates.

Garen Crownguard –over who we're going to focus our interests in this story- came from a rich family in the middle of the town. His only guilt was to beat a man who attacked his sister one night; the boy got crazy and left the man half-dead on the pavement. Since then, he was sentenced to years of imprisonment in this hell. Feeling like she was in cause, Lux followed him to watch over him but, most of the time, the perfect reversed situation happened and Lux had to count on her big brother to stay in one piece.

The man was truly popular among girl kind. They all watched him like the holy grail, the last sensitive gentleman this school had. But Garen had no real interest in girls; keeping his sister away from injuries and helping Jarvan in his crusade against noxian was already a full time job.

Cassiopeia founds her way until the table where the three guys were having lunch. She touched her long hair with a kinky look to Garen and spoke:

"Hi there guys. Nice performance on the fields yesterday…"

Garen raised an eyebrow.

"You mean, the stadium…?"

"Yes. You left no chance to the opposite team, heh? I wasn't really cheering you guys but you thrilled me… I must confess."

"Oh, thank you."

Jarvan and Xin threw her a suspicious gaze. Her tricks were not a secret for anyone and, even if she wasn't a strong fighter, her sharp tongue and improper looks were enough weapons to kill a man. But Garen was naive: he was not expecting how a single woman could sink a man's mind yet.

"Yeah, this was really impressive" Cass whispered sitting on the table, her skirt lightly lifting in the process. "So, how do you guys have fun after training?"

Garen scratched his head. In fact he never thought about having fun lately.

"I don't know…"

"Well, we go on parties, we date girls…" answered Xin with a vicious smile.

Cassiopeia looked curious.

"Oh…, what kind of girls?"

"No noxic"

As he answered to the young woman, Xin traded an highfive with his friend Jarvan who stayed mute all along. Cassie's smile faded as she heard it and she looked down.

"Does I matter where a girl comes from if her feelings are true and sincere, right Crownguard?"

She stroked shamelessly the man's shoulder. A bold move in a public place.

Several tables ahead, Riven and Katarina were having her lunch too. They both were in the "noxian" part of the room, where all lights were shut.

"Your sis is bitching around again"

Katarina shrugged her shoulders without giving a shit. Her sister's business wasn't her problem. However, she watched the whole scene because of one of the protagonists. Garen Crownguard… an opponent she never had the chance to face but still she was craving to punch his lovely face and to erase this confident smile from his face.

Cassie's game didn't work on the tough guy. He took her hand off and smirked.

"Cassie, don't take it as an offense but you're not truly the kind of girl who are allowed to talk about honesty"

"Yeah" followed Xin. "Go and spread your venom somewhere else. We're trying to have a quiet meal"

Cassie gave up the fight. She knew she wouldn't have to engage the three of them at one go. She walked away without a word, defeated for once.

In the meantime, Lux waited for her wounded friend in this dangerous area between the self and the room, where all the students dangerously melt. Lunch time was the deadliest part of the day, so that most of the weakest students stayed in a corner of the courtyard to eat their sandwich. It was also the time for intimidation: everyday, both of the gangs kept the place as if it was their headquarters. In fact, losing the cafeteria meant losing the school.

"Hurry Ez!"

"Two minutes!"

The new one was no used to the disgusting odds of this place. He was quarrelling with the canteen manager, Urgot. The guy hated demacians since one of them gave him to the school authorities because he was stealing stuff. Since then, the director assigned Urgot to the food distribution on lunch time. This fat and despicable guy was almost sweating on the food in his tight shirt.

"Why can't I have sausages?" Ezreal complained, presenting his poor plate to the self's employee. "You gave some to the guy right before me!"

"I'm in charge" answered Urgot without any glance to the boy. "Just shut the fuck up and get your ass out of my sight, kid!"

Ezreal couldn't win this fight. He would only get a few smashed potatoes and a tiny peach for today. He came to Lux and told her what h had in mind:

"I think I'm dreaming… What the hell is this school? A jail?"

"You're not far from it" Lux giggled –she had the time to get used to this. "But please, don't shout loud for such a thing…"

Ezreal growled. He was treated like the least of all and he hated this.

On the way back, Cassiopeia met Garen's sister who was still holding her tray meal. The girl was just a 2th grade brat… So Cassie saw there an opportunity to take a sweet revenge if she couldn't face the pectorals of the other tough guy. She bumped into the girl who was just trying to reach her seat a few feet ahead; her glass spilled on the tray, wasting her bread.

"Watch out, demacian whore! You could have got my shirt dirty !"

Lux contained herself. She knew it was no use to start a fight with this kind of bitch.

"I'm sorry…" she said as she headed off.

But Cassiopeia wouldn't let her run away that easily.

"This boy who got his ass cut off… you surely have a crush on him right?"

Lux ignored the tease and passed through. Defeated once again, Cassie returned to her table, silently. Garen was watching the scene from his seat with a dreadful look. Xin pated his shoulder to signify that everything was okay, Lux was not that stupid.

Katarina sighed. Cassie fucked it up once again. If she had pushed the blondie a little harder, maybe the guy built like a tank supposed to be her brother would have get up and give her a chance to "fly to the rescue of her own dear sister"… even if in truth she didn't really give a shit to Cassie's well-being.

But something more interesting was happening in the back, where Ez was paying his lunch. Urgot, who had heard Cassie's words, began to laugh loudly.

"So that's you!" he yelled to the young boy, ignoring completely his duty for a while. "If you want sausages, just take out your pants and scrape off your butt!"

He couldn't stop laughing and stoke with his ladle so hard in the food-tray that splashed on other students standing nearby. Ezreal fell his mind cracking down. He walked to the guy, sheltered behind his plastic protection, and threw him a full plate of smashed potatoes right to the face. All the people around shut down, stunned by what just happened. Urgot stayed silent but his rage was bolting within. Ezreal didn't know what to say; he remained motionless, his empty plate in one hand and the tray in the other. Lux ran to his rescue as the fat guy was seeing in red.

"HOLY BASTARD ! I'M GOING TO KILL YA!" Urgot screamed –and all the dinning hall was now aware of what was happening.

He crossed the symbolic barrier between his workplace and the hall and walked to he boy. But Lux protected Ezreal with her weak body.

"Don't think you're going to touch him, monster!" she spoke convincingly.

"Really?! Get out my path or I swear I'll kill you first!"

This said, Urgot pulled out a butcher knife from his belt and stretched it in Lux's direction. An alarm rang in Garen's head; he suddenly got up and called the mad guy:

"Urgot! If you deal with my sis', you deal with me!"

Urgot looked up to Garen and his face seemed to earn a bunch of new lines.

"You-… Don't…"

His rage was too much to be contained and burst out on his face like a popping bubble, drawing an empty circle around all four. But Garen stood idle and resolute, his muscular body now between his sister and Urgot.

Far ahead, Jarvan and Xin were watching the scene, ready to interfere. Katarina has sparkles in the eyes. All this was escalating so fast. She was about to get up and join the party when Riven called her back to reason.

"Kat… Remember what is going to happen if you make another single deviation…"

Indeed, Katarina recently had several issues with the disciplinary hearing due to her "violent behaviour". Riven's words were wise enough so she put her chin back on the table and let a frustrated roar out.

But another data entered the equation. A tall and strong man, followed by all his court, dark eye and the tense mouth; his presence shut the remaining noises down and took away the last curious hanging to the scene. Darius, 7th grade student. He had spent two years in jail for various and terrible reasons, what explained his lose distance with the others students of his class.

His young brother Draven was never far behind. But he was staying quite tranquil while his oldest brother was leading the band. Everyone feared Darius, and not only because on his large shoulder like cliffs, but also because of his cruelty. He had left the head N-gang to his brother for these last years of imprisonment, but now that he was back, his ferocity was even sharper. His own shadow was enough to frighten the ones standing in his path; the treatments he reserved to those who fooled him could have feed the twisted mind of horror's authors.

Darius stared at the Crownguards and then at Urgot and silently walked to them.

"Is there a problem?" he quietly asked to Urgot.

"S-sure there is!" answered the fat guy raising a dreadful eye towards the Crownguards again. "These guys think they can humiliate me without get a beating!"

"You're the one who started this" added Garen.

"Shut up dick!"

Of course, Darius noticed the smashed potatoes on Urgot's… baldness, and guessed what happened. He had a smile. This situation was so awkward: on one side, a stupid and insignificant noxian and in the other side the guy who denounced this poor thing to the director, granting him this pitiful job. The weak blond girl and his new crush were not to be forget too. A perfect painting.

After his long hibernation, Darius had a serious need of strengthening his authority. And good violent fights were the better way to do so. The witnesses around felt the thunder in the air: Xin and Jarvan got up and prepared to jump in the scrum to Darius's first move.

"Hey, isn't it M. Asshole ?" said Draven looking at Ezreal. "I remember I had a conversation with your skinny butt this morning"

The blond boy stayed mute, shivering. He was expected a lot more now… Judging by the fear in Ez's eyes, Draven laughed loudly but Darius kept himself as cool as a cucumber. He finally spoke:

"So, what do you think Crownguard? Have we to settle this as gentlemen… Or maybe I should let Urgot scarify your lovely sister's face"

There was no peaceful exit to this. Garen frowned and kept Luxanna right sheltered in his back while Darius was smirking at them. Draven was kissing his fists in a stance of fighting as the others of the band began to look for the knives and cut hidden in their jackets.

Katarina couldn't hold it anymore. Her blood was burning in her veins; her need for violence had to be satisfied before her limbs get totally numb. No way she would miss such a perfect opportunity to face this Crownguard guy. Before Riven had the chance to hold her back, the red-haired girl left her seat and rushed towards the heart of the storm. But a familiar hand grabbed her fist and stopped her run. Katarina lifted her eyes towards the dark brown of the severe brotherly look stuck on her. Talon was standing in front of her, his cold eyes telling more than everything he would say. Katarina blinked of surprise and then mumbled:

"Alright, alright…"

Talon was elder than the two Du Couteau's sisters. Their father adopted him when he was still a young boy and always took care of him. In token of gratitude, the boy kept a careful eye on the two girls, especially on Katarina, one of the sisters he cherished the most. This last couldn't struggle against Talon's grasp, for two reasons: the first is she couldn't compete with his strength since he was the one who taught her how to fight and the second is that he was the last person on earth she would try to hurt. So she accepted the warning and stepped back to her seat.

Riven greeted them:

"Things are getting bad. We better stay out of this"

"Yes" nodded Talon, sitting as well.

Katarina seemed to sulk, what tore off a laugh from Riven, what was rather improper to the situation. All in life divided the two girls but they were sharing this mutual comprehension that made of their friendship a lighter burden to carry.

The fire was still burning out there. Darius and Garen were facing like two tigers ready to jump but the sound of a whistle burst in the hall.

"Calm down everyone!" a voice rumbled.

The main supervisor Caitlyn irrupted and gave her thin body as a shield to prevent any move from both sides. She shook her head as if it could help her authority and began to yell at Darius's face:

"Agitation? While I'm on duty? I don't think so!"

Darius smiled. He was not really afraid of the shrimp he had in front of him but the girl had several privileges that made her dangerous to hit : first, she was always followed by what we may call "a vixen" (without any bad pun!), a true fight trigger and one of the best female athlete of the school : her best friend Vi. There were rumours about the two girls being closer than what they wanted to admit but nobody really took the risk to check it up: after all being homosexual was less outrageous than "straightly" dating someone of the opposite gang. Plus, Caitlyn's rank was not something to consider lightly: the school trusted her passion for justice and granted her a fire weapon she carried on her belt. The ammunitions were specifically marked with the school seal, so if anyone tried to use it, against Caitlyn or whoever, he would be immediately caught and sentenced. And the girl was not someone easy to deal with. Seduction? Bribery? Nothing worked against the hand of the Law.

"Nice shampoo"

Right in Caitlyn's footsteps, Vi allowed her the right to make fun of the fat and disgusting student. But her face was way serious.

"Give it to me boy" she ordered to Urgot then, showing him a hand to make sure he got what she was asking.

After a quick moment of hesitation, Urgot gave his butcher knife to the girl who proudly wore the school hair band. He probably didn't want his punishment to get worse.

"Aren't you too old to play with kids?"

Darius raised an eye to Caitlyn, arms crossed and angry face. The way she spoke to him had reasons to get him mad but he contained himself. The pink-haired girl was loudly masticating a chewing gum and gazed at the guy as if he was some undisciplined brat. Yeah, really, these two girls were a pain for crime and free fights.

"I'm not the one who's started, supervisor Caitlyn…" he smirked.

"That's enough now!" yelled Caitlyn as Vi was encouraging the audience to move on. "I don't give a fuck to who started what… I don't want your little war inside my hall! NOT-WHEN-I-M-AROUND? Got it? If you wanna lodge a complaint, write me a note. Maybe I'll trash it, maybe I won't. But get this chance."

Her job done, she turned off. She was not really worried about her performance; she knew she did well as always. Darius headed off as well and made a sign to Draven. No fight for this time.

Garen sighed. This was close… Urgot returned to his place, behind the food-tray, and went on with his miserable task: filling up the plates. But he would never forget… His eyes were stuck on Garen like the red string of a sniper rifle. His revenge would come, sooner or later.

Lux suggested Ezreal to find them a seat while she was discussing with her brother.

"Are you insane?" growled the man. "How many times I told you not to interfere in this!"

"You would come too late and something bad would have happened ! " answered Lux with resolve.

"You can't be sure of it…"

"I wouldn't take the risk!"

Lux's eyes didn't let any doubt pass through. She couldn't regret her move because she knew it was the right thing to do.

When they were done, Garen allowed Lux to regain her table and got back to his own one.

"Your sis' is sure a bold girl" told Jarvan filling up Garen's glass with the water of salvation.

Garen sighed again. Alas, his president was so right…


	2. Obsession Malsaine

**Chapter 2 – Obsession malsaine**

(song: "Kryptonite" –3 Doors Down)

The night was falling. The last fire of the day was fading in the further West. Garen was getting out after helping cleaning the mess in the men's room. The last brave ones were leaving this jail while the railings were still open. Walking alone by night in this city wasn't a really good idea. He usually got home with Lux but she had insisted to lave earlier this time… for private reasons. Garen had smiled trying to figure what it could be.

The night was warm and peaceful. Shy birds were singing their daily tunes as the sun was sinking in the horizon. Garen felt the breeze on his face, gentle and soft, smelling like summer days.

"Hey!"

The voice was unknown and the ton unusual. Garen raised his eyes to identify who was calling… from above. Sitting on the edge of the facade, back leaned against a closed window, Katarina was braving the fifteen feet that kept her away from the ground. Garen blinked: she was staring at him indeed.

Katarina Du Couteau was the kind of beautiful woman everyone could fall in love with. But like as a panther, her claws could easily turn a man's mind. She was always standing in a corner, mute, her green eyes running on the walls like silent inquisitors. And sometimes, without any warn, she jumped into the fight and showed out all the violence sleeping inside her fake calm attitude. None really knew how she got that scar on her left eye; she never told anybody, even her own sister. Some people thought she earned it during a tough fight but there was no witness left of this day to confirm it. Her thoughts were mystery and nobody, as noxians or demacians or else, dared dealing with her. If Cassiopeia always gave the feeling like she was preparing a bad prank, Katarina's face was a prison door on which all the outer phenomena were bouncing against.

Garen wished he had the key of this door. As all the others, he fell for the deep red of her hair or the perfect cut of her smile, but, unlike the others, he couldn't turn his mind on something else. She was always standing above, on the top of the world, staring at the courtyard like a tyrant counts his sheep. This want of superiority made her despicable… but gorgeous in the same time. Those graceful legs hanging in the drop, the way she was swinging her body on the edge of this window, defying the physics with a smirk like if the world was hers… Garen couldn't help but feel attracted by her radiance, her endlessly shinning radiance…

But for the time being, he had to deliver an answer. So he just went: "what?". No rude word. She maybe was noxian, she had the right to be heard.

"Nice show today…" she said with a mocking smile.

Garen frowned.

"What you want?" he asked firmly.

"Your sis knocked to the wrong door. This brat won't bring her any good"

"Why do you care?"

Garen's voice was sharp and rude. He didn't really like when noxies were speaking about his sister, even if they were as pretty as Katarina.

"I don't but I thought you would…"

She tilted her head, keeping this mysterious look that wasn't giving any clue. She added:

"Urgot have bought information over your sister's habits"

"You mean we demacians are to bribe?" grumbled Garen.

"Listen, dork. Your guy is in charge of the vending machines too. Tomorrow, before the bell ring, he will leave a gift for your sister and her new cub"

This said, Katarina got up, braving the deadly gap in front of her.

"A sweet revenge since your sis in precious to you, right?"

Garen had to nod to that.

"Indeed"

"Well. That's all I had to say. Bye"

This said, Katarina pushed the window behind her and entered in the classroom. Garen couldn't add anything before she disappeared, but her words deeply stroke him. She could have lied but why ? And …same question if it was the truth. Doubts walked to his side until he reached his home, a cosy house in the east suburbs. But when he met his sister's eyes when coming home, he was only worried and couldn't enjoy her warm smile. He feared Katarina's words to be true…

The day after, Garen got up early and went to the school before the gate opened. He jumped over the fence and ran into the corridor. He found Urgot filling the compartments in one of the vending machines. His task done, the student pushed his cart until the next one, in front of the library's door, where Lux used to take her breakfast. And there the oddness began: Urgot pullet out a bunch of chocolate bars hidden under his fat. He exposed them right behind, where they would be the first to fall. Then he closed the machine and went on, a satisfied smile on his face.

Garen checked his pockets for coins to use: he had to make sure of it. Unfortunately, he haven't thought about this detail and stayed without any good solution. So he went for the brutal one…

When the director was reported a vending machine had been crashed next to the library, he firstly asked "how much?". But instead of money, he only heard a number of stolen chocolate bars. Jericho Swain raised an eyebrow and asked again to the supervisor.

"Eight of them" repeated Caitlyn before returning to her duties.

And the thief wouldn't have touched to these bars. He brought them to the science club where the professor Heimerdinger, one of the most tiny but most respected teacher of the school, analyzed the suspicious food.

"Don't eat that my friend… unless you want to be the main specimen of our next dissection"

"What's in there?"

The scientist trashed the poisoned snacks and took off his glasses.

"Oleander powder. Discrete but deadly. I didn't know this could be uses as a substitute of chocolate … I'll avoid the vending machines for a time"

Garen couldn't believe it: Katarina said the truth. And Urgot was about to have serious problems…

The D-gang wouldn't wait for another try from the big and nasty guy. On the afternoon of the same day, the fat guy disappeared once for all. The investigation didn't last long since the police had stopped dealing with this damn school long since and the only inspectors left were… Caitlyn and Vi. But the man didn't worth the effort; so everyone easily forgot about him and the school paid someone else to do the dirty work.

But Lux and Ezreal were okay. Garen paid them several visits the same day to make sure they were happy and healthy. But the danger seemed to be gone for good. Ezreal was complaining about Draven's words that brought suspicions over what really happened and drew him a number of gay advances. But Garen couldn't enjoy the end of the day: Katarina was obsessing his thoughts.

He couldn't find her anywhere during the whole day. Looking up to the rooftops, searching for the blood trail her hair left in the air when she was passing by, silently lurking in other classrooms… She was nowhere.

"Excuse me"

Riven lifted an eye. She wasn't the kind of noxian normal people would have reasons to fear. Although she could bend a metallic bar with her own arms, Riven had nothing of the beasts as Draven or Darius, even Katarina.

"May I help you?" Riven asked as she turned off the tap.

Garen was not really afraid of her since he knew how nice of heart this girl could be. The corridor was empty but he still felt uncomfortable to chat with a noxian. This "crime" was severely punished by both camps.

"I was wondering… you're kind of… alone today right…?"

Riven crossed her arms and calmly faced off the strong man.

"Are you trying to pick me up?"

Garen's face suddenly turned red.

"No that's not it! I was looking for your friend"

"Oh, you're looking for Kat?" realized Riven in a sigh of relief. "So you finally accepted?"

"Accepted what?"

"To fight her"

"Fight?"

Garen blinked. His quizzing look asked Riven for more information.

"You didn't know? You are her current target. She's always like this. I had my turn too, don't worry. She won't release the bite as long as she hasn't got what she wanted"

Garen began to understand what was going on. He was a piece of meat in Katarina's menu. Her violence really had no limit.

Rather confused, Garen quickly changed the subject:

"And, how did your fight end?"

"I gave up" sighed Riven. "Because one of us would have died if I hadn't and she would never leave a fight"

The agitation in their back quickly got them separated. But Garen just had the half of the answers. He wasn't sure if he wanted to meet her anymore so he gave up the hunt for this time.

Where she was ? Crawling in the mud with the wolves, in the docks not far from the school.

Staring from the back, she was enjoying the screams and pleas the Blood Brothers pulled out from their victims. Weaklings were not her favourite kind ; she preferred strong opponents to easy preys. But she had a real taste for blood smell and extreme pain. The brothers were used to see her around and didn't give a damn since she never interfered in their dirty business. She was part of the noxian crew and gave enough good spankings to deserve their consideration.

The beating and stuff over, Draven left the cleaning to his flunkeys. Before quitting the dirty shed, he patted Katarina's shoulder and told her:

"Oh yeah, about the 'blind beating' on Friday… It's cancelled"

Katarina raised an eyebrow but didn't answer anything.

"Tell people. I'm too lazy to play the mailman."

This said, Draven asked his men to hurry and returned to the N-headquarters. Katarina was left alone with the agonizing victims of the beating session. She was about to head off too when a silhouette passed by. Vladimir was like a vulture. He pretended we was a vampire and stole test tubes in science class in order to take off a sample of blood he would take back home. This weird ritual was part of his odds. Katarina watched him silently, deeply disgusted by the guy and then left.

"The 'blind beating' is off? It's a good thing I guess even if it's your thing…"

Cassie bit in her apple, marking the fruit of the deep red of her lipstick. Katarina never really talked to her inside the school even if they were right over the fence.

"Take a day off either way" Katarina said. "I suspect something"

Cassiopeia looked up to her big sister with a surprising look. They never really were in good terms but Cass always admired this devotion Katarina had to her family. Even after what happened…

"Oh, this weirdo of your friends told me the big demacian oaf was looking for you"

Katarina threw a wary glance to her sister but just said "okay" as if she knew perfectly what it was about.

Late as usual, Talon came to pick the two girls back home. If Katarina could brave the wild city streets alone, Cassie was ban of doing so. The boy was a cold, intimidating figure, enough to keep the louts far away. Most of the time, Talon and Cassiopeia left in first and Katarina joined them on the way. But this time, she had something to do before going.

"Just go. I see you later"

Talon frowned but couldn't object; the red-head was already gone.

She ran to the door and eagerly opened it, bumping in on or two student left in the process. She breathlessly travelled the corridor one by one as her heartbeats gone crazy. Fighting this guy was all that kept her awake: she needed the thrill of a good punch in the stomach, bones cracking and teeth flying… Her greed for challenges was more than Riven, Talon or her sister could understand. It carried her will, it framed her life.

She wasn't looking anymore where she was running. She knew the demacian trio used to gather on Wednesday's nights to decide which colour would suit the walls of the teacher's room or how many founds could be given to the science club this year. Probably she could meet him in the corner of a-

She suddenly bumped into two broad shoulders and stepped back, surprised by the chock. After several seconds of recovering, she lifted her head up and stared wide-eyed to the boy's face. This was the first time Garen was overhanging the girl. She usually stood feet above his head, on the highs, where no man could catch her. Feeling her so close in front of him coloured his cheek of light red. He stammered:

"I-I'm s-sorry. I haven't seen you c-coming…"

Katarina smirked. She was aware of the power she had on mankind –exactly as her sister- and easily guessed the obvious physical attraction the guy had for her curves judging by the daft look he was giving her. But she was far from knowing how deep the scar was yet.

"When you're looking for the wolf… He just shows up"

"You were looking for… me?"

These striking revelations made him jump. Katarina stepped back and put her fist on her hips.

"You asked Riven where I was, right?"

"Y-yes. I wanted to know why you told me about Urgot's plans. He's part of your crew after all"

"I don't feel really close to that abomination !" Katarina joked.

Her smirk went greedier.

"And my tips are not for free…"

"You want a fight, right?"

Garen's guessings surprised Katarina but not enough to make her face twist.

"Somebody let you know about that, heh?"

"Indeed"

Katarina waited for an answer, her eyes passionately shinning. But her ask was quite different from what girls usually wait from boys. Garen sighed but said resolutely:

"I owe you one, so I'm in"

Fed by greed, Katarina's face couldn't have looked more radiant. Satisfied, she settled the "date".

"Well then… Friday, in the gym. Just you, me and the smell of pain"

She turned away and left. As she walked, Garen couldn't take his eyes off her hips, seductively swiping from right to left in her school skirt. But we would have to show no mercy to this perfect body that was getting away from him, because she wouldn't spare him any injury.


	3. Jeux d'autorité

**Chapter 3 – Jeux d'autorité**

(song: "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" –The Smashing Pumpkins)

Valoran-City. That's where our story first began. The city was divided into over a dozen districts and neighborhoods, many of which were incorporated places or communities that were annexed by the city. But generally, it was divided into two main district: the eastern, Noxus, and the western, Demacia. Nobody could remember the starting point of this conflict since nothing could tell the difference between the people living in each part over the river –the symbolic edge keeping both sides apart- albeit political tensions existed well and truly about various matters as social, racial and economic subjects.

Originally, offices were standing where the school has been built after criminal fires had cleaned up the place. When the town hall bought the fields, nobody would have guessed the laudable project of bighting children's mind with primal knowledge would turn into experiments over the containment of wild teenagers. What do explain these changes ? The hatred. The free and easy hatred, a gift from grown-ups to their offspring, as the only true rule they could apply to their own lives.

The Crownguards were part of the luckiest this city could count. Sheltered in the eastern suburbs, the two young lived and their parents lived in a classy mansion the economic slump had bought them. They didn't really take benefit from the loss of many others but always rose in this despicable comfort. Garen and Lux knew that perfectly but closed their eyes and slept in their cocoon, nor happy, nor sad.

In the evening, Garen stayed silent and thoughtful during dinner. Lux was suspecting some issues and asked if everything was okay. Garen just nodded to her and finished his soup.

Laid in his bed, he was playing this last conversation with the red-head over and over in his mind; maybe he had accepted too fast, maybe it was a kind of trap Urgot himself was plotting for a perfect humiliation… After all, he wanted revenge against Garen in the first place.

No… it couldn't be this… The sparkles in her eyes when he agreed to her request weren't lying… She desired to fight.

.

The day after was rather calm and knew no trouble. And then… the friday came and with it, a large amount of unexpected events and…the scheduled "date" of course.

The director was paying a visit to the nurse when he heard strange moans inside the room. Expecting the worse judging by Miss Leblanc's odds, he starkly opened the door and discovered… a poor 1st grade student sobbing in the medic chair. Miss Leblanc turned her face up to Jericho Swain and gently asked Lulu to leave.

"All will be fine" she told to the girl as she patted her head.

When Lulu was far enough, Miss Leblanc gave the explanation.

"Heartbreaking. Nothing important"

"Hmm… Good. I've heard you reported medical equipment stealing"

"Exact" answered Miss Leblanc taking her material paper list in hands. "Syringes vanishing. I can't be there all day long, so what if students began to steal drugs in my office…?"

"What kind?"

"Anaesthetics"

Swain had a naughty smile thinking about what these teenage freaks could use it for.

"Don't hesitate miss Leblanc and tell me if you need more supplies"

"You know ...I always let you know when I need…more"

She suggestively licked her superior lip with a craving gaze. Swain released a drop of sweat and quickly went to another subject:

"The Ionian class arrived this morning. Treat them like normal students if they come and ask you some medical attention"

"Not really a good thing for them…" commented Miss Leblanc.

Not that she didn't want to help these hopeless cases that crowded the school, but the woman hadn't the best averages to do so. The public school of Ionia used to send a class per year for a single day of visiting to the public school of Valoran-City to keep some kind of good interpersonal skills and to respect legal clauses. Earlier in the morning, the Ionian students had invaded the place, uninhibitedly, easily getting used to the harsh violence creeping here since their main education remained in self-control and interior peace.

Swain left the place before getting caught by the crazy woman and walked to his office.

"Uncle Swain!" tweeted a voice as he pushed the door.

The girl was not really blood related but her tides with the old man were a mystery to many others; even the man himself couldn't remember how he got into this.

"Annie… Don't sneak in like this…"

The girl released a light laugh and softly cuddled her teddy bear.

"Can I tell the daily announcement?"

The director shrugged. Then, he opened the drawer and took a cheap notebook where to write after pulling out the string of the microphone jammed into the slit. Annie couldn't wait and dropped her bear down to grab the microphone. Swain gave her a quarter of the sheet he just tore off and read her slowly what he just wrote on it. Annie nodded widely and then spoke in her charming childish voice:

"Dear students. May you greet our Ionian guests for today! Stay polite and behave. Any deviation will be severely punished, more than usual I mean."

Annie's gentle tone didn't inspire much fear and authority but Swain didn't give a damn; the message stayed the same.

.

The corridors looked safe and welcoming for once. Rackets and sexual harassment here and there but nothing warning… Jarvan and Xin were wandering off in the corridors when they saw Yorick, the caretaker of the school, chatting with a few noxians, one of the Blood Brothers's closest friends. Afterwards, when they asked the man about what these guys wanted, they just got a growl but no satisfying answer.

"What are they up to…?" wondered Jarvan as the caretaker went away.

Their path met the director's one. They lifted an eye on the man and respectfully said "good afternoon mister". The old man smirked and passed by. The director never have been a popular man; since he was from the noxian district, his politics for the school looked a lot like the way of life in the city streets. But still, the president of the student body was from the demacian district… a risky choice but a clever move. Jarvan was doing well indeed and the gangs kept their little fights for outside.

Garen joined them in front of the dinning hall with messy hair and a confused smile on his face. He didn't intend to talk about his meeting with Katarina and worked to build his alibi for the day after: earlier in the morning, he had asked his manager if he could help out with the sport stuff packed in the gym -where the fight was about to happen.

"Where the fuck were ya?" complained Xin.

Garen apologized.

"What's up?" he inquired.

Jarvan threw a look by the porthole and showed the table few steps ahead.

"The Blood Brothers are keeping the entry, probably waiting for us. They must miss their crazy butcher…"

"Nobody will miss this bastard…"

Garen's words couldn't convince Jarvan who stayed careful in every occasion. They entered.

And the Blood Brothers were waiting for them indeed.

"Well well…! Our fav' trio incoming! Ladies and gentlemen, hide the children!"

Darius's tone didn't really delight the three from the demacian district but they stayed idle.

"Oh please, don't make me disappear…" added Draven clinking his glass with the guy next to him.

"You're having fun, dontcha?" said Xin Zhao, kind of pissed off.

"Look who's talking as if he didn't know anything…" taunted Darius back.

Jarvan tried to look confident and took his chance to strike back:

"If you have a problem with us, why haven't you settled it long since?"

"I'm working on it… Be sure of it…" replied Darius, the eye dangerously shinning.

The demacian trio knew they had to move out. Standing here in front of the head of the N-gang and all his court wasn't a safe idea.

"We're keeping an eye on you" stated Jarvan. "Don't even think of fucking us!"

Darius smirked.

"If you want a tip, keeping your eyes wide open won't help…"

This said, he looked away and didn't pay attention to the three guys anymore. These last words left a cold among the demacians. They were expected for a bad trick but… what kind? Monsters like them were capable of anything.

But the time was for lunch. Jarvan passed through the crowd like a prince in his palace while Garen and Xin were following.

"Food food! I'm damn hungry" tweeted Xin. "What is there to eat today?"

But Garen wasn't listening at all. His eyes were irresistibly appealed by the red veil several steps ahead. Katarina was picking up her lunch at the self-service, patiently waiting in front of the trays until the guy in charge come and fill them up again with what she wanted. The ionian visit encouraged the school to serve tastier meals, so why would she eat the usual everyday garbage. Riven had no choice but to act if all this was normal, calming the long pissed queue behind them.

"If your Majesty allows us to pass…" joked Riven with a face.

"Two sec !" answered Katarina, considering the choice left to her.

She finally took the last strawberries Riven was coveting for minutes already and moved on. When the red-haired girl noticed Garen's look over her, she had a naughty smile. She boldly faced him from where she was and took one of the strawberries in her plate. She crushed it in her palm and willingly licked the juice running on her whist, her eyes still stuck on the boy. Garen's face turned red and he quickly headed off. What was the problem with this girl? And what was HIS problem with her…?

All this could have ended here if a greedy look hadn't caught Katarina's game. The school of Ionia was known for its creed and the respect their education inspired; but every flock has its black sheep. The unfaithful Zed was the master of his crew, a circle of young men just like him, carried by their own thirst regardless of the rules settled by the school.

Sat like a prince with his ministers to his table, Zed waited for the girl to pass by and did what everyone would call being "a bad idea": he slapped an hand on her booty with a grin and said:

"Is this pretty pair has a phone number?"

As Zed's court traded some highfives, Katarina calmly turned round to the guilty man who didn't seem to regret his reprehensible move and stayed motionless as her eyes blinked of passive curiosity. He was staring at her, enjoying the view from where he was.

Everyone thought the storm has passed and began to breathe again when the red haired girl turned off and made a few steps towards her seat. But the dump fired so quickly none could ever warn it. Zed received the tray right in his face and so ruthlessly that all the food on it flew far away. The noise provoked by the blow echoed in the dining hall and a hundred faces could now see what became of Zed's nose, all flattened and bleeding. It didn't take long until the guy stood up and yelled out all his rage.

Suddenly, the whole place shook. Noxians and Ionians got up as insults flooded from Zed's month. But Katarina stayed idle, her body like an iron stick that no gale could bend. Riven knew she could have interfered but she was not close enough to this crazy girl to take a knife in the stomach for her. So she just stepped back, hoping someone would do what she didn't.

Irelia, a 7th grade student from the ionian private school, was standing nearby next to the food iron circuit, ready to forewarn any bad deeds. She was used to be in charge of the security in Ionia and immediately reacted to the sudden smash. She jumped into the melee and stopped Zed before he started a fight.

"What's all this again?" She spoke with her strong voice. "Can't we have any excursion without you messing around, Zed?"

"Get out of my way Irelia! Or I swear you're the first!"

Unlikely, Zed was not the kind of guy to lose control that easily. But many others tried before and died before reaching that never-returning point. His powers got beyond simple skills; all the influenced ones gathered around his statement of belief were as many soldiers in his army.

But Irelia was not afraid of the dark-haired guy. Her face was marble and her eyes cold blue stones. She eyes up to a table nearby where three other ionian students were sitting, more aware of all this then they seemed to be.

"Don't make me call support…"

Zed frowned. This facing off wasn't regular enough now. So he gave up and "schhh" back before leaving the place with red face.

Irelia released a sigh and turned to Katarina but didn't speak a word. She knew what kind of answer she would get to ask anything, she knew the "wild" inside her that she fought and despised herself for all these past years, she knew what noxians like her were…

Years ago, when the public school of Valoran has been invited to the private Institute of Ionia, terrible events happened. A rampage, a huge operation of cruelty had started right after the class; the noxians trapped the youngest ones in their classrooms and harassed them in the worst way a mind can figure out what stamped a dreadful memory in Ionia's history. Irelia was a young girl at this time but yet she never forgot the tears and cries a lot of innocent let out this day.

But in there, another dog was standing guard and hated getting her job stolen.

"Feel free to play the super heroine!" growled Caitlyn rushing to Irelia with a severe gaze. "I command in there and I don't need any help to keep my herd on a leash..."

Vi came afterwards and commented with her own style:

"Cait's right ionie! So get your ass out of our farmyard!"

Irelia didn't feel in the mood to argue. She nodded and said:

"Right, do your job then"

And despite Caitlyn's warnings, she returned to her observation post, ready for another intervention.

"Who does she think she is…?" grumbled Caitlyn, worse pissed off than ever.

"Meh…"

Vi smiled. Her justice-head really cared about her territory. This last finally faced the tray launcher and gave her verdict:

"As for you… Don't think you'll get out of trouble! This was your last chance Katarina! You go in detention room for the whole afternoon and you'll stay locked in there until the disciplinary committee decide what to do with you!"

Katarina shrugged. Her lunch was spread all around on the ground so she hadn't better plans for now. The bad thing was she had a trilling fight programmed later in the afternoon and that compromised her plans. But she couldn't dodge her punishment and walked to the detention room under heavy gazes and whistles of admiration.

Darius raised an eyebrow and smirked. This girl always guts and he respected that. But this guy, Zed, presented more interest to him now. So he got up and walked to the back door as what was left of his fellows stared at him going with a quizzing look.

.

"Garen!"

The Crownguard boy lifted his chin up and the blue of his pupils met a familiar other blue one: her beloved youngest and only sister Lux. She didn't pass quite often in the upper floors but when she did, the reasons surely were important. Garen was sleeping on his desk; the previous class just went off and the student in charge was about to leave. Not that Sona, a clever and graceful 7th grade student from the demacian district, was not an interesting teacher, but the fact she was mute didn't help to keep a class attentive. Most of the time, the sound of the chalk against the black board was enough to cast a sleeping spell on the whole class. Paradoxically, Sona was an excellent musician too. Maybe these classes were a way for her to train on lullabies… kinda effective on Garen!

"Oh… Lux" he answered with a warm smile supposed to cover his lethargy. "Pretty uncommon to see you around"

"I had to warn you I'll get home earlier, sorry…"

"Oh, that's nothing. When do you leave?"

Lux's smile went brighter.

"In a minute! Ez and I are preparing the summer end party and as soon as Quinn give us the keys of the reception building. So I've been freed from classes for the afternoon!"

Getting home with his little sister every night was a way to make sure she was safe. But with a boy with her –although Garen didn't really consider Ezreal as an efficient bodyguard- and in the middle of the afternoon, there was nothing to worry about.

"That's a good new" nodded the big brother. "I'll join you later because of the…thing I've told you"

He couldn't remember of his alibi himself. Katarina was in detention room what meant their punchy meeting was postponed to a later date. But now that he had told everyone, he couldn't get back on words for two reasons: first, he had to keep the same explanation for the next time and then, he wasn't good enough at lies making.

The blue-haired girl was now leaving the classroom with a pile of sheets, glad of her daily performance. But on the moment she reached the door, she bumped into a muscular man with tanned cast who almost gave her a strong head-butt. A red blindfold was covering his eyes.

"Sorry miss. I can't see where I'm going. Are you hurt of something?"

Sona lifted her eyes up to the ionian student but couldn't answer anything and shook confusedly her head from left to right. Lux laughed to this awkward situation and then left her brother to his own thoughts. Indeed, he was a little disappointed to no get the chance to slip out and face the wild red-head in a fair fight whereas everyone thought he would have some school duties to fulfil. But he wanted to give it a try either way. Should he go? Maybe Katarina would find a compromise and would escape from…

.

The detention room was nothing more than a jail with a desk, a chair and a black board. So many hours Katarina had already lost in there… Being caged was not part or her odds. She always lifted far away up to the mortals, contemptuous of the aunts below while she was walking on the top of the world. But her projects were dramatically shaken: the guy she had to meet later was among the witnesses and probably had heard about Caitlyn's judgment. Maybe he wouldn't come to the rendezvous point since she couldn't be there; she would be here, sat next to the window, her mind lost in the faraway horizon a small ray of light allows to catch between the iron bars over the glass.

There was no way to escape from the detention room. As the whole school, the room had a high-tech security system put in, regulating the entrances and exits thanks to a command center settled in the basements. The door keeping her away from her fight was thick like twelve inches wide of pure metal, all this locked by switch latches linked to the informatics of the school.

Trapped, that was the perfect matching word. Katarina sighed, her chin in her palm. One of the neon above was malfunctioning and his annoying flashes were blinking in the darkness of the room. Katarina was staring at the faraway sky where the sun was gradually falling behind the city… Such a place she would like to be but heh, she had to pay for all the violence she could deploy. How long was it now since she had been terrified by something? Not since this time. Since then, she learnt how to react to those who attempted to her free will, to her liberty or disrespected her. But this jail was something she couldn't get out of without compromising her future plans: fulfil her duties, being her father's pride…. Nevermore. All this was behind now. Life had no taste anymore. She was just sliding on it blindly punching out everything around like a wild animal carried by its primal survival instinct.

While she was here, contemplating, the heavy gate suddenly moved. The handle noised and moved up as the door opened, showing up the school hallways. Katarina dared bring her nose out of the room and looked around to understand why she was freed from her jail. The answer was leaning against the wall on her left.

"What you'd do if I wasn't here?"

Katarina smiled. The answer to this question was simple: she wouldn't be part of this world anymore. Her saviour was none but Talon, her "almost" brother.


	4. Dans l'obscurité

**Chapter 4 – Dans l'obscurité**

(song: "Blood stains blondes" –Deathstars)

Talon was always near behind, hidden in Katarina's steps. As one of the members of the security staff –the executive one, the man who usually throws away the free-riders from parties or private clubs- the young man had a digital card to access any room in the school. This bold move could cost him a lot, to his rank and reputation but he cared more about this real living problem that was Katarina than everything else.

"Don't get cocky bro ! You've saved me from boredom but I ain't tired of getting in trouble! " answered Katarina in a friendly giggle. "But… thanks anyway. I could never pay back all I owe you"

Talon made a face but felt sort of touched by the confession.

"Stop acting like the spoilt brat you are. I won't always be here to save your ass."

He gently patted her shoulder and headed off, leaving the door wide open as a signature of his crime. Katarina would finally taste to this guilty pleasure that gave rhythm to her life: a fair and backbreaking fight.

.

The Piltover's committee had gathered in their headquarters to the upper level of the school, in the highest floor. Lux knew this was where she could find Ezreal, constantly working on this new project the science department was developing with the cooperation of many self-involved teachers. The precious key in her pocket, she intended to pick the boy up and leave as soon as possible to the facility where the ending-summer party would take place. But what she found didn't really please to her.

Ezreal was crouching under the new Piltover's invention, an android gifted by the appearance of a teenage girl. They named her O.r.i.a.n.n.a, referring to the lost daughter of one of the most respected scientist of Piltover; she was the kind of intellectual curiosity the science showdown would propose at the end of the scholarship. But the female robot was far about to be finished, so Ezreal was called to help on the project as well.

"Lux, I'm sorry. Could we take this to later?"

"But, Quinn asked us to…"

"I know but I have responsibilities towards the Piltover's research department. You can go if you want, you don't really need me after all."

Lux frowned. The destination wasn't really the thing that mattered.

"Don't worry about me" Ezreal warmly smiled to her. "I'm in good hands"

The blond girl eyed to the long black haired girl sat to the robot's feet. Her naughty grin augured nothing good but her graceful curves trapped more than one man. Ahri was a temptress of seventeen years old, but her body had already experimented all what a grown-up lady must know. Her company was nothing a boy could refuse, even Ezreal who enjoyed the kindness a man-eater could deliver right before biting in the flesh. Mad with rage, Lux left the room with an angry growl on her lips. But she contained herself and just walked away. No way she would cross the city alone ! She would patiently wait for the end of classes and get home without a word as frustrated girls do.

.

Better plans was about to be revealed for the afternoon. After Zed quitted, Darius spent time to look after him in the whole school and finally met him in the courtyard.

"You seem to have a pretty flock of slaves behind you. I can tell you enjoy give punches out"

"What you want?"

Arms crossed, the guy and unusually alone, freed from his admirers.

"Just talking. We don't seem that different"

"You're some kind of gang leader?"

The incredulous look on Zed's face could easily tell he didn't trust Darius yet.

"This girl in the cafeteria…" he started with a dreadful glare.

"She's part of the crew somehow" quickly answered Darius. "We noxians are maybe just motherfuckers, but we don't fight each other. I came to you for better reasons…"

"Which ones?"

"We have a ritual here"

"A ritual?"

"A game. Do you know the 'blind beating'?"

Darius's smirk advised Zed to listen carefully; he didn't want to get in the wrong side when this "game" would be launched. When he asked for more information, Darius just commanded him to follow his steps. He led him to the school's basement, the holy temple of Yorick. But the caretaker was easy to buy, this was the first thing Darius explained to the ionian hothead.

"This place is the master center of the entire security system. A long ago, after several riots, the school decide to confine the students in extreme case of emergency to contain our lack of discipline. This electronic network commands to every door, every shutter in the school"

"And who's the lucky keeper?" questionned Zed with curiosity.

"A perfect asshole"

Darius pulled out a key from his pocket, leading to the maintenance room. A concerto of "beep" greeted their entrance as the heavy computer's fan was noisily blowing out the heat of the machine. On the board, a lot of latches were on, twinkling in the darkness of the room. Darius explained that this system was initially made to avoid delicate situations. Zed knew what he meant.

"But in the end it just made things worse, right?"

Darius crushed a smile in the corner of his month.

"So, in which camp will you be, my friend?" he just asked.

Zed didn't answer but his bold grin really spoke for him. The excitement to come was nothing he ever experimented in Ionia. Noxians knew how to make things interesting. Darius put his hands on the first latch in his range, the one with the "front door" label.

"Hold on students! Prepare for eternal darkness !"

.

A locking noise came to Katarina's ears as she was running in the corridors. She stopped and waited for a few seconds. "Must be my imagination" she thought before rushing into the gym hall. Her expectations to find Garen Crownguard there were close to zero. He saw her getting bawled out by Caitlyn and sent to detention room. But she had the deep hope that he would come either way, for no reason maybe, just because he had to be there as agreed. And he was indeed, his strong athletic build hiding the incoming sun rays to Katarina's sight. She stood in the doorway, silent and thoughtful, as Garen was smiling to her.

"You finally managed to find a way to escape" he quietly stated.

Katarina walked inside with a suspicious look on her face. He came for real, despite the punishment she received, despite the violence she deployed against this ionian guy, despite the fact he could have just declined an invitation from an enemy.

"Why did you come?" she asked with a sharp voice.

"Wasn't it what we agreed?"

This naive answer pissed her off somehow. She shook her head.

"I mean… My detention had cancelled it all. You were here when it happened…"

"Nice move by the way" giggled Garen with a forced smile.

Katarina didn't answer. She was staying in the bathing light of the wide high windows of the gym hall. The fading day was drawing a shinning mask on her beautiful hair, making Garen stop thinking for a while. Then, he managed to answer seriously to her question, facing her emerald eyes like never before.

"I don't know. Maybe I hoped to face you as well"

Katarina enjoyed his honesty and blinked as if she accepted the answer. She was about to get back to her usual provocative personality when a gear sound kept her silent. She lifted her eyes up, right above Garen's head, to see the large shutters progressively closing. Garen turned back and wondered:

"Why are they shutting them down so soon?"

Katarina suddenly realizd what was happening.

"They finally did it"

But before Garen could even ask, the girl was running towards the door. Not fast enough. The heaving metallic blind snapped down right in front of her, trapping them in the gym hall. Katarina swore and ragingly kicked in the unbreakable door. They were definitely trapped. Garen was panicking in the inside but didn't show a face.

"What's going on?"

Katarina sighed.

"The blind beating"

"The…"

The tough boy stared at the locked shutters. He knew about this terrible game since the noxians already provoked the same event in the past.

"That's how you call this ritual…? All lights shut down and everyone gets caught in a messy fight where everything is allowed"

Katarina walked to a pile of gym mats and sat on them. The darkness didn't allow Garen to see her face but he could easily tell just noticing her shiny eyes that she was smiling. His face turned dreadful.

"Wait…, you knew about this?"

"I wouldn't come here if I knew" answered Katarina in a mocking laugh. "Being stuck there in the dark with you while they are all having fun… I could have make better plans"

An uncomfortable silence settled between them. The noise of agitation came until their ears but, whatever could happen outside, they couldn't act on it. Garen sighed and leaned against the door, meters away from the strange girl he was supposed to fight against right on this moment. She wasn't making a single noise, even her breathe seemed low and diffident. But he just couldn't ignore her presence, radiant, intoxicating…

"So, what now?" he asked hazardously.

Katarina took several seconds before answering.

"The beating will go until the school staff reach the controlling board and … free us I guess"

Her tone seemed upset. She let the silence take place again and lifted the eyes to the sunny day everyone wanted her to avoid on that day.

"So, what trick have you used?"

Katarina blinked to Garen's question.

"For…?"

"Getting out of detention"

"None of your business…"

Garen didn't insist but reacted to the coldness in her answers.

"Just wanted to make the talk…"

"Why do you feel like we have to chat?" replied Katarina without even turning her head to Garen.

"Since we cannot fight in the dark…"

Katarina just released a light sigh and kept ignoring the man. But he was right. Fighting was something that required neat vision and even if she was disappointed to not be able to melt into the mess of the "blind beating day", she didn't want to face this man like an animal struggling in the dark. She wanted a fair fight as the opponent was worthy enough to deserve it.

She raised her eyes to the closed window. A light trail of light was running from one of the shutters, allowing them to have a quick idea of each other's position. Garen eyed to her direction and noticed some kind of strange fear in her eyes. He suddenly felt touched as if he had just discovered a scared rodent hiding in the cavity of a tree.

"Something's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing…"

"Go ahead, tell me…"

His voice was soft. Katarina couldn't remember since how long someone ever talked to her like this. The head still rising to the clogged day, she said:

"I… hate being locked in"

"You're the kind of girl staying on the rooftops for hours, heh?" he smiled. "Why do you like the heights that much?"

"People are tiny from above. I feel like I can crush them with a single foot"

"I see…"

The silence fell again. But Garen quickly broke it:

"As you crushed this guy's nose in the dinner hall?"

"He looked for it…" responded Katarina without a single sign of emotion.

"I agree for once. Not a proper guest's behaviour"

The red haired girl looked in Garen's direction for the first time since she sat on the gym mats. Her eyes were inquiring in his, as if she was looking for something she was wondering for so long but just realized she had got the key from the beginning.

"The way you talk, it's funny…" she noticed. "You truly are from the Crownguards…"

"About that… I was wondering"

Garen didn't know if he was really allowed to pursue. But he had a question, a very important one that he had to let out since he reached this place.

"Did you ask me to fight because of what my family did to yours?"

Katarina didn't answer but eyed away and got up. She silently walked to the front wall and leaned her left shoulder against it, motionless. Garen attempted a bold move:

"I've heard what happened to your father…"

Katarina looked in his direction. She could have felt anger but… nothing came to shake her heart. Nor sadness…nor rage. After Marcus Du Couteau's accident, the shareholders trusting in the family's business began to give them up. The Du Couteau's empire had no heir to take care of the stockholdings so the leader's partners sell them to his main rival: the Crownguard's corp. Actually, the Crownguards allowed Marcus's family to survive, granting them financial support while they get back on their feet. But still… the empire her father had built was no more. There was just enough of the firm left to try and recover the sold shares thanks to her father's brilliant reputation. She couldn't blame the Crownguard son for it but… the thought of her father was still haunting her.

Her voice turned gentler but she still had this resolute tone that made of her a dangerous girl.

"If my punches could solve our problems, I guess I would have gone for a rampage yet"

She paused and had a sad smile.

"But, I just have to wait until I can take over the family's firm."

"Isn't your brother older than you?" Garen asked.

"Talon is not my real brother. My father took him in after he saved my life. He's always getting me out of shit… I hope I could be useful to my family someday"

She stopped talking when she suddenly realised she was speaking too much. But Garen was listening, nodding to this last affirmation. He was a big brother too and knew how it felt to protect the youngest.

"Thank you again… for telling me about Urgot and what he planned to do to my sister"

Katarina frowned.

"I don't give a fuck…"

But the boy took it with a smile.

"Since family is important…"

Katarina reacted to this simple sentence.

"Don't you worry 'bout what's happening outside there?" she asked.

"Lux told me she would live early in the afternoon. She must be in safe hands for now"

Poor brother. If only he knew what trouble awaited for her vulnerable sister.

.

After the blind beating began, everyone freaked out. The teachers couldn't calm down the students and some classrooms were invaded by invisible assailants. Screams and laughs were melting in a disgusting symphony. Lux tried to escape from that, calling for her brother. "Where has he gone…? What did he tell me he had to do…? Garen… help!" She couldn't find a single quiet place. Sometimes, someone bumped into her and suddenly disappeared in a panicked cry. Her fingers often met cradles of blood on the floor or on the walls. And the game went on, blindly picking targets and beating them until his cries fade. Lux sneaked into a closet, a small one, and put her head into her arms. Warm tears were running on her cheeks. She kept invocating her brother in her thoughts. But he didn't come. He didn't when the closet suddenly opened. He didn't when a strong grip hauled Lux out of the closet. He didn't when the stranger's breathe blew in her white neck. He didn't when she struggled and shouted as a cold hand covered her mouth while the other was walking down on her hips…

Lux just shut her eyes and prayed one more time.

"Help…me…"


End file.
